Two Arrested in Failed El Sereno Copper Theft
Police arrested two suspects after an attempted copper wire theft in El Sereno caused an estimated $100,000 in damage.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Property Crime
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Police arrested two suspects who attempted to steal copper wire from a vault accessed through an open manhole in the 5000 block of Valley Blvd. in El Sereno. One of the suspects fell into the manhole and was taken to the hospital for evaluation after Los Angeles Fire Department assistance.
Why it matters
The attempted theft caused about $100,000 in estimated damages to underground infrastructure, and the incident highlights the risks of open manholes near public spaces in Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Two people are currently in custody, and one of them was taken to the hospital for evaluation after falling into the manhole. No charges or court dates were included in the available information.
The players
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the municipal police agency that responded to the call, located the suspects, and made the arrests in El Sereno.
Los Angeles Fire Department
The Los Angeles Fire Department is the city's fire and emergency medical agency that assisted in extracting the suspect who fell into the manhole.
The details
A concerned citizen called police just before 2 a.m. after seeing three men cut a bus bench with an electric saw. Officers found an open manhole behind the bench that led to an underground vault, where two of the suspects were located while attempting to steal copper wire.
Timeline
Just before 2 a.m. on the night of the incident, when a concerned citizen called police.
Legal Context
The attempted copper theft falls under California's grand theft statutes, which cover the taking of property above a set value threshold. Cases involving copper from utility infrastructure have drawn increased attention in Los Angeles due to the high cost of repairs.
Residents near Valley Blvd. in El Sereno may see increased police attention around bus benches and utility vaults after this incident. Pedestrians should avoid open manholes and report any unsecured access points to city utilities.
The takeaway
Open manholes and utility vaults can create serious hazards, so residents who see unsecured access points should report them promptly to the city.
Further reading
For more on local incidents, see Property Crime coverage across Los Angeles.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Southern California.
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